Bomb chock



May 15, 1951 c. E. OMARA ETAL 2,552,578

BOMB cHocx Filed Jan. 4, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwucm/tom/ 04/?1. a OMARA WALTER L. JOTTER May 15, 1951 c. E. OMARA LET} AL ,5

BOMB CHOCK Filed Jan. 4, 195 0 3 Sheets-Sheet 3- v 58 v 55 L; 55

04m E OMARA WALTER L. JOTTER Patented May 15, 1 95 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I BOMB CHOCK Carl E. OMara, Alexandria, Va., and Walter L.

J otter, Cincinnati, Ohio Application January 4, 1956, Serial'No. 136,782

Claims. (Cl. 85,-1.5) V V (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) vented from swaying by having the devicepress firmly against the upper surfaces ofv the bomb.

preferably at. four vplaces,..two near the front lug andv two near the-rear lug. .After the bombis released. the device generally remains fixed there by still projecting from the streamlined contour of the aircraft and producing considerable drag. It istherefore highly .desirable that all such projecting parts which produce drag be with-.

drawn within the streamlined contour,.or in some manner that the streamlined contour berestored,

following the release of the bombs. It is also, de-

sirablethat the chocking device be designed to, offer a minimum ofv drag during the period that it supports the bomb. 7

An object of the present invention is the provision of a retractable bomb chock for an aircraft. Another object is to provide a bomb chock for an aircraft which is retractable out of the airstream upon release of the bomb.

A further object of the invention the provision of a retractable bomb chock operable independently of all others, so that if only a portion of the bombs are released the corresponding chocks willbe retracted.

Still another object is the provision of a re tractable bomb chock for an aircraft which is in dividually adjustable thereby obtaining better support for each bomb.

Ihe exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing in which:

1 Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bomb rack and checking device of the invention, shown in conjunction with the bomb load of an aircraft.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the chocking device;

shown in Fig. 1 and its support on the aircraft.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly broken away,

of the chocking device of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 4 shows a section of the device taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

' spring 24 and the upper end of tube 22.

Fig. 5 illustrates a front elevation, partly broken away, of asmodification of the bomb chockingdevice. 7

,Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 which illustrates a preferred embodiment, abomb ll supported below the wing l2 of an aircraft by means of a conventional bomb shackle 13 mounted in the aircraft and 2. lug it on the bomb, the shackle IBbeing controlled by a release mechanism IS in a .conventional manner.

To prevent thebomb II from swaying there is employed a plurality of chocks [6, there being. preferably four for each bomb, two near the front, lug and two near the rear lug. Each chock Iii is supported at a suitable point in the wing by means of a support clevis Ii on the chock and a supporting bracket 18 in the wing. The chock, in its supporting position extends through an opening l9 in the lower portion of wing. l2; Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, chock it comprises a tube 22 movably mounted in supporting clevis i1 and having an end plate 23 secured at the top thereof, plate23 serving as a support for one end of a retracting spring 24, the other end,

of which rests upon abutment 25 at the upper end of clevis l'i. Secured to the upper end of clevis ll around abutment 25 extending upwardly therefrom is a dust cap 26 which encircles Dust cap 26 is held in place on abutment 25 by means of clamp 21, the cap being of sufficient length topermit tube 22 to retract therein to the extent necessary to draw the chock it into wing 12 and out of the airstream.

Axially mounted in tube I6 is a trigger rod 28 having a locking bolt 29 secured at the upper end thereof, bolt 29 cooperating with a locking rack 3! mounted on the clevis 11. Rod 28 is threaded at its lower end to adjustably support a plate 32, there being a helical spring 33 interposed between plate 32 and a block 34 mounted in the lower end of tube 22 by means of screws 35 or the like and collar 36. Adjustably threaded on block 34 is a pad 31' having a bearing 38 axially disposed therein for supporting the lower end of rod 28 Bolt 29, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises a pair of cam plates 49 fixed to support 4| welded, or otherwise secured, to rod 28, plates 49 being guided in slots in a transverse member 44 secured in the upper end of tube 22.

49 has corresponding cam slots therein, in which pins 42, supporting toothed members 43, are

Each cam plate a locking action between members 43 and rack 3|. When rod 28 is released and moves out;

wardly in response to expansion of spring 33,-,

cam plates 49 are carried therewith, thereby p sitioning pins 42 in the upper portion of the cam slots and causing members 43 to be moved inwardly, whereby releasing action results.

As shown in Fig. 4, trigger rod 23 comprises an upper portion 45 carrying support 4| at its upper end and a hollow sleeve 46 at its lower end, sleeve 46 being slotted intermediate its ends as shown at 47. Rod 28 further comprises a lower portion 48 having a pin 39 at the upper end thereof, portion 48 being slidable within sleeve 46, while pin 39 is slidable in the slotted portion 4'! of sleeve 46-. Supported within sleeve 46 between the lower end of portion 45 and the upper end of portion 48 is a coiled spring 46.

In operation, tube 22- is pulled out until bearing 38 rests firmly against the upper surface of the bomb as shown in Fig. 1, trigger rod 28 thereby being depressed into tube 22. As portion 48 of rod 28 is depressed and tube 22 is extended, spring 46 isplaced under compression until pin 30 reaches the upper end of slotted portion 41 of sleeve 46, any further depression of portion 43 resulting in upward movement of portion 46 and, therefore, support 4| and cam plates 49. When portion 48 is fully depressed, cam plates 49 have reached such a position that pins 42. are in the outermost ends of the cam slots and toothed members 43 are in engagement with rack 3|. Locking action between members 43 and rack 3| occurs upon the expansion ofspring 46 which forces portion 45 of rod 28 upwardly until pins 42 rest in the lowermost portion of the cam slots in plates 49.

Indicator means 39 mounted on sleeve 46 and visible through slot 63 in tube 22, as shown in Fig. 3; is preferably provided in order that the locking position of rack 3| and members 43 may be readily apparent. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, whenpins 42 are in the lowermost portions of the camslots of cam plates 49, means 39. will be at the uppermost end of slot 63.

Any further adjustment of pad 31 is obtained by turning pad 37 about block 34, the resultant movement outwardly of portion 46 of rod 23 being taken up by further extension of spring 46 without any retractive movement of portion 450i rod 28.

When the bomb is dropped the pressure against trigger rod 28 is released, causing the rod to be projected downwardly under the action of spring 33 thereby releasing bolt 29 and Withdrawing the toothed members 43 from racks 3|. When this unlocking occurs retracting spring 24 expands and draws tube 22 up into the dust cap, thereby drawing chock [6 into the wing l2 and out of the airstream.

Referring now to Fig. 5 there is; shown a modified chock 56 comprising a tube 52 mounted on a support 51, a retracting spring 54, a dust cap 50, a trigger rod 58, a lockingb'olt 59, and a locking rack 6|. In chock 56, use is made of the 4 same principles of retraction and locking as in chock I6, but the contact on the bomb surface is effected by means of a yoke 5| carried by tube 52, there being a pad 53 adjustably screw-threaded in each end of the yoke 5| and provided with a lock nut 55. ljo secure a bomb with this chock, yoke 5| is pulleddown against the bomb until rod 58 is depressed sufliciently to look bolt 59 and rack 6|, pads 53 then being adjusted to more securely hold the bomb and then locked by nuts 55.

It should, be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only preferred embodiments of the invention and that numerous modifications and alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an aircraft having a bomb releasably supported thereon, a pair of telescopic members, the outer of said members being supported in said aircraft and the inner of said members extensible through an opening in said aircraft for engagement with said bomb, releasable locking means for maintaining said inner member in extended position. when said inner member engages said bomb, means for retracting said inner member upon. disengagement of said bomb therefrom, and trigger means actuable upon bomb release for releasing said locking means and actuating said retracting means.

2. In combination, with an aircraft having a bomb releasably supported thereon, a pair of telescopic members, one of said members being supported in said aircraft and the other of said. members extensible through an opening in said aircraft for engagement with said bomb, releasable lock means for maintaining said extensible member in extended position, said means being bers.

4. A bomb chock for an aircraft having a bomb releasably supported thereon, said check comprising a support mounted in said aircraft, a member slidably mounted in said support and adapted at one end thereof to engage the surface of said bomb, releasable lock means for maintaining said member in extended position, means movable on said member for actuating said lock means between locked and unlocked positions, trigger means incorporated in the bomb-engaging end of said member constructed and arranged to be inoperative while a bomb is engaged thereon and operative upon bomb release to move said lock actuating means to unlocking position, and resilient means operable upon release of said lock means to retract said member.

5. A bomb chock according to claim 4, wherein said lock actuating means comprises a springloaded rod slidably mounted in said member.

6. A bomb chock according to claim 4, and an adjustable contacting pad mounted on the end of said member.

'7. A bomb chock for an aircraft having a bomb releasably supported thereon comprising a support mounted in said aircraft, a tubular member slidably mounted in said support and having one end adapted to engage the surface of said bomb, a spring-loaded rod slidably mounted in said member and normally extending outwardly from said bomb-engaging end of said member for similar engagement with the surface of said bomb, lock means actuated by the engagement of said rod with the surface of said bomb for maintaining said member in extended position in engagement of said end with said bomb, and resilient means operable upon disengagement of said rod and release of said lock means for retracting said memher.

8. A bomb chock for an aircraft having releasable bomb holding means comprising a support mounted in said aircraft, a chock member movably mounted on said support and biased to be normally retracted in said aircraft, locking means between said support and said chock member adapted to releasably secure said chock member in extended position exterior of said aircraft to brace a bomb held thereon, and trigger means on said chock member normally held inoperative by the bomb while so braced and operative by bomb release to unlock said locking means.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8 in which said chock member is tubular and is slidably mounted in said support.

10. The device as set forth in claim 9 in which said trigger means includes a rod biased to project from said chock member at the point where the bomb is braced and adapted to be held in cocked position by the braced bomb.

CARL E. OMARA. WALTER L. JOTTER.

20 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Browen Feb. 1, 1921 Number 

